Marching Season of 2009

It's finally over... And I feel so sad, you know? Like, I know I complained a ton about practices and stuff when it was happening, but when it's actually over... And this is why after everything I learned about guard last year (how much work it was, how much time it took, how HARD it was...) I still came back. Plus it's so much worse than last year; last year, only 3 people in guard graduated, and even though Kyle and Jessie left, we were still okay because we knew we had Kelly and Jhay. But now, this year... Half the guard is going to be gone, and that's only accounting for the seniors, not the people who might not come back. Then Kelly's obviously not going to be here (she's having a baby! Yay!), and it's sort of like, she was our lead instructor, and it'll just be so weird without her...

Tons of people were crying yesterday, and we only talked for about 15 minutes. Last year, we reminiscenced for about an hour or so, since the competition was at our school, but this year it was just so rushed... It's just not going to be the same next year... There's barely going to be any people that I knew from the beginning of MY guard experience (four: Ellen, Melanie, Colton, and Natalie)... And then it's like, the band is losing tons of seniors too, so what are we going to do if we don't have enough people? Is there even going to be a Marching Band/Colorguard of 2010?

But I'm just going to miss all the seniors so much! Ashlee, our AWESOME captain, Shine and Jessica, who both helped me SO much, Christine, who is just FABULOUS, Kimmi and McKenzie, who put up with so much this season and still pulled through, Lindsay and Julia, the awesomely hilarious duo, and Karoll, our new but amazing addition from Columbia.

I just can't believe the season's over! No more practices... No more competitions... *sighs* No more THRILL RIDE! and anticipating putting on our show makeup and wigs and becoming Lady GaGa-esque... Like sure, those wigs were a pain, but you put them on, and it's like, time to show off what you've learned. Time to bring it. Time to perform and tell everyone that CAL HIGH IS THE BEST. It's just... Even last year, I really didn't feel as close to the group as this year. Like sure, it sounds cliche, but I really feel like everyone was closer together this year than last. I know for sure that I'm better friends with more people in the guard this season.

I just can't even express how amazingly sad I am that the season is over. Like sure, I'll still see pretty much everyone sometime in the hallways or something, but it's not the same! it's not the same as seeing everyone in our uniforms, our white wigs, our lightnings bolts. It's not the same as looking around a field at night under bright stadium lights and seeing all these people that you've worked with and that have supported you for what feels like a lifetime. It's just not the same... And even though I'll still see Jhay next season (if there is one), and I'll see Rima at Kumon, and Kelly will probably come to cheer us on... It's just different now. You can't put it into words. You have to be a part of this, of guard, to realize how heart-wrenchingly painful it is at every season. To realize how hard it is to look around after a competition at all the faces and realize that that was the last time you would step onto a field together as a team, with those instructors cheering you on in the stands, with those uniforms on, and with that show that you have prepared.

So in an attempt to get away from the soppingly sentimental things that I'm still feeling, I'm just write a brief summary of our season...

*****

Marching Band/Colorguard
Season of 2009

Theme: Thrill Ride!
(Rollercoaster, Sky Diving, Race Car)

Colorguard Uniform Theme: Lady GaGa!

Colorguard Staff: Kelly Elder, Jhay Delos Reyes, Rima Boujaoude

Colorguard Members: Ashlee Evonc, Christine Dang,
Jessica Kuo, Shine Wang, Lindsay Iverson, Julia Spalding,
Kimmi Bowman, McKenzie Llano, Karoll Becerra Sabogal,
Ellen Liang, Melanie Bottini, Colton Bell, Natalie Wade,
Ashby Huber, Laura Nichols, Clarie Liang, Erica Tsai.

CHS YOU KNOW!
GET IT GUARD!